Year 6 Open Evening - Thursday 26th September 2019

I would like to warmly invite you to the Rushcliffe School Open Evening on Thursday, 26th September 2019. The purpose of the evening is to give you and your child an opportunity to:

Meet the Principal and staff.

Have a tour of the school following sessions 1 and 2 only.

Receive information about the different subject areas.

See what opportunities we can offer your child.

Ask questions about the curriculum and pastoral systems.

To accommodate the number of parents and pupils who wish to see our school we have to organise the evening into three sessions:-

Session 1 commences 5.00 pm

Session 2 commences 5.45 pm

Session 3 commences 6.30 pm

The Open Evening concludes at 7.30 pm

Each session will begin with an introductory talk by Mr Damian Painton, the Principal, in A-Hall. Please be aware that the hall has limited capacity and that sessions 1 and 2 tend to be busier than the 3rd session. If you arrive after the session has started we will politely direct you towards our new Performing Arts theatre where you will be given the opportunity to join a Sixth Form prefect on a tour of the school until the next session starts.

After this talk you are invited to visit subject areas. It is advisable to allow at least an hour to look around and some of our Year 8 pupils will be on hand to give a guided tour of the school whilst answering any questions you may have.

We expect the evening to be busy which may lead to some delays in finding a car parking space. Please take this into account when making travel arrangements for the evening. If you are intending to attend the final session, you are welcome to look around the school prior to the presentation and guides and maps will be available in the A Hall Foyer.

We hope you can make it and look forward to welcoming you.

Mr L Crawley

Assistant Principal

Rushcliffe Pupils Celebrate GCSE Success

It has been a morning full of smiles, celebration and excitement at Rushcliffe School as pupils in year 11 have been collecting their GCSE results.

Students performed well across the board with high levels of achievement in the core subjects (English, Mathematics and Science) but also across a broad range of subjects including design technology, the humanities, physical education, media and the Arts – something reflective of the school’s desire to ensure that pupils study a broad curriculum and subjects that support the talents and aspirations of all.

Overall, nearly 40% of grades were at grade 7 or above and this year’s results mean that the school is likely to take in its biggest ever year 12 cohort in September, with nearly 150 Rushcliffe year 11 students staying on and being joined by around 30 students from other local schools. There was success too for those students who have chosen to move onto colleges or other pathways with the overwhelming majority securing the grades they needed for their first choice courses, apprenticeships or employment.

Damian Painton, Head of School, said “I am so pleased for all our students and hope they feel proud of what they have achieved. Their hard work and the support of our incredible staff has enabled them to do very well indeed. Students have overcome significant challenges this year, both individually and collectively, and have shown great resilience and determination. It is fantastic to think of the bright futures they will all have and I wish them all every success as they move onto Sixth Form, college or the world of work.”

Pupils Celebrate A-Level Results

Pupils at Rushcliffe School have been celebrating and looking ahead to their next steps as they collected their A level results this morning. Pupils leave the school to go onto a broad variety of apprenticeships, colleges, employers and universities.

Approximately a third of grades achieved were at grade A or A* giving students access to some of the most prestigious universities, including Oxbridge and the Russell Group, and competitive courses such as medicine and law. Around 85% of pupils are moving onto university either this September or after a gap year travelling and working. An increasing number of pupils have opted for higher apprenticeships, many at high profile companies, in fields such as engineering, sport, quantity surveying and computing. Several budding Artists will start on Art foundation courses in the coming weeks.

Damian Painton, Head of School, said “Students should feel proud of all they have achieved. A levels are demanding and these results come from a lot of hard work and commitment on the part of both students and staff. I wish every student the very best of luck for the future, whatever they are moving on to do, and hope they look back fondly on their time at Rushcliffe.”

Paul West, CEO of The Spencer Academies Trust, shared in the celebrations. "We are delighted for all the students who have achieved some exceptional grades. We wish each and every one of them the very best for their futures. We're proud that Rushcliffe continues to thrive as part of The Spencer Academies Trust and thank the staff for all of their continued hard work and commitment to our students"

Join the Rushcliffe PTA!

The first meeting of the newly established Rushcliffe School PTA will take place at 6pm on Wednesday 13th March in the Rushcliffe Sixth Form building.

At the meeting we will discuss what events we wish to put on for the coming year so please get your thinking caps on. All welcome so come along and get involved with this great and fun way to help make a difference to our school - if you wish to discuss further or know more information then please contact the school office.

Rushcliffe School is re-accredited as World Class

Only 16 schools in the country have been re-accredited as World Class, as part of the WCSQM inaugural re-accreditation programme, and Rushcliffe School is one of them!

In comparison to the national inspection regime, WCSQM assesses the students not the school, and World Class Schools have to re-accredit every two years, to retain their status. The assessment is therefore up to date, and relies on current, fresh, and robust evidence. Schools that have achieved reaccreditationhave been supporting their students to develop into World Class young people year on year, over a sustained period of time.

The re-accreditation process is challenging. In order to qualify for re-accreditation schools must have retained their ‘outstanding’ Ofsted judgement. Students have to work collaboratively with a partner World Class school, to prove to their partner students how their own school has supported them to retain their World Class credentials. The assessment framework is composed of skills and competencies that students need, to be World Class citizens in a dynamic global economy.

Through working in partnerships, students develop their networking skills and become part of a World Class student alumni association which provides them with supportive, professional and potentially enduring relationships.

Out of the 18 schools which were awarded the Mark from this tranche, only 16 have achieved reaccreditation. In total, WCSQM is a network of over 60 non-selective state secondary and special schools, with 30 new non-selective state primary, secondary and special schools applying for the Mark this year.

The re-accrediting schools received their award at the WCSQM Symposium event in the summer, at which they were treated to a keynote talk from Turner Prize winning artist Grayson Perry CBE. ‘At WCSQM we want to give World Class students at non-selective state schools what they deserve – World Class opportunities. We want our students to get the chance to partner and network with their peers from other World Class schools, so they become, collectively, a force to be reckoned with,’ Miranda Perry, Director, WCSQM.

British Council International School Award success for Rushcliffe!

Rushcliffe schoolhas been awarded the British Council’s prestigious International School Award in recognition of its work to bring the world into the classroom.

The International School Award celebrates the achievements of schools that do exceptional work in international education. Fostering an international dimension in the curriculum is at the heart of the British Council’s work with schools, so that young people gain the cultural understanding and skills they need for life work in today’s world.

Rushcliffe’s international work includes partnerships and visits with linked schools in France, Spain ,Nepal and China , fund raising and sponsorship of school children in Guatemala in collaboration with a local Charity ‘Education for the children’ , whole school fundraising and creating international awareness re the plight of world refuges and the work of the International Rescue committee, as well as the introduction of Mandarin with live video links to China and close collaboration with the Confucius institute at the University of Nottingham.

On hearing the news that Rushcliffe had received the award Mr S. Lewis, Executive Head teacher, said ” We are delighted to be recognised for our work connecting our pupils with communities throughout the world. We celebrate diversity and a hunger for knowledge about different cultures. Our pupils are enriched by their connections with people who have very different life experiences This enables them to reflect on the world we live in and the opportunities and responsibilities they have as citizens in an ever more interconnected world.”

Sir Ciarán Devane, CEO of the British Council, said: ‘The school’s fantastic international work has rightfully earned it this prestigious award. The International School Award is a great chance for schools to demonstrate the important work they’re doing to bring the world into their classrooms. Embedding an international dimension in children’s education ensures that they are truly global citizens and helps prepare them for successful lives and careers in an increasingly global economy.’